Plug-in device and socket receptacle



July 21, 1942. I H. H. EBY V 2,290,172

PLUG-IN DEVICE AND SOCKET RECEPTACLE Filed May 6, 1938 INVENTOR HUGH H. EBY

ATTORNEY Patented July 2l, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLUG-IN DEVICE AND SOCKET REOEPTACLE Hugh H. Eby, Jenkintown, Pa.

Application May 6, 1938, Serial No. 206,457

2 Claims.

This invention relates to plug-in devices and socket receptacles therefor.

With the advent of the present type of octalf tubes the use of a separate indexing prong or guide member as a means for aligning contact prongs with appropriate socket receptacle contacts, was introduced into the commercial art of plug-in devices. As provided hitherto, however, the aligning or angular position determinator took the form of a substantial cylinder having an external rib disposed longitudinally on the cylinder, requiring a complementally shaped guide aperture in the receptacle. This is shown for instance in the patent of Shrader $1 2,080,837 dated May 18, 1937, and necessitated termination of the rib short of the truly cylindrical lower end of the guide member so that rotation thereon was provided for. With such guide member disposition, concentric to a circular series of prong contacts, it will be evident that a relatively large area in the center of the plug-in device is incapable of containing contact prongs. This area lies within the circle containing the first mentioned series of prongs.

As provided in the past the guide prong or member has been electrically inert, incapable of serving as a contact or ground connection, and, of even greater importance has been incapable of establishing any interlocking engagement with the guiding aperture of the socket, and has required reliance upon the frictional engagement of the 'contact prongs with the female contacts of the socket for its resistance to undesired withdrawal.

In my co-pending application, Serial #25,055, filed June 5, 1935, now matured into Patent No. 2,196,697, I have disclosed a socket receptacle arranged to receive the present day octal type tube or allied analogous devices, in which a form of housing and guide for the guide member or prong is disclosed and in which an eyelet is used as the gentral guide member receiving guide element whereby certain important advantages are secured which advantages will also attach to the instant invention, as will later appear, together with'new advantages present in this instant improvement on the invention of said application.

It is among the objects of the invention; to provide improvements in plug-in devices; to provide an improved socket receptacle for plug-in devices; to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art in plug-in devices and socket receptacles for plug-in devices; to provide improvements in contacts for plug-in civices; to provide improvements in contacts for socket receptacles; to provide plug-in devices and socket receptacles with a greater number of contact elements than has been considered possible with the prior art devices; to provide complemental plug-in devices and socket receptacles therefor, both of which are possessed of highly advantageous and efficient characteristics; to improve indexing characteristics of guided plug-in devices; to provide improved guiding prongs for plug-in devices both in concentric and eccentric relation to the prong cluster; to provide an improved combination guide and contact element in the socket receptacle in which an indexing prong or guide member is slidably inserted to interlocked engagement and in which the plates of the socket receptacle are strengthened, rendered susceptible to extreme thinness, and guarded against cutting by the attempted insertion of the maladjusted guide prong, or member, the plates are held rigidly together to secure and maintain permanent registration of all contact apertures with an elimination of the eyelets or the like normally necessary hitherto, and which precludes relative rotation of the plates of the receptacle; to provide a combination contact with anchoring means such as to accord with variations in the thickness of the plates of the socket receptacles, to provide means for locking plugin devices to socket receptacles, and many other objects and advantages will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this description,

Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary plan of a guiding locking contact in a socket, and

Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary section partially in elevation of the contact shown in Fig. l.

A locking female contact 5| is mounted, extending through both plates and below, to receive the guide prong. The guide receiving contact may be of any of many desired forms, but certain characteristics may be noted as desirable. Thus it should be complemental in contour or cross section to that of the guide prong.

Illustratively therefor, it is shown as cylindrical,

sired way, and illustratively by means of short flanges or ears 56, overlying the top or upper plate 45, and by the bead 6|, or the like in the side walls engaging the lower surface of the nether or bottom plate 46.

As shown in the fragmentary section of Fig. 2, the guide receiving contact is provided with a peripheral bead iii to engage under the lower plate, and is provided with inturned short tongues, as at 62. The inturned tongues 62 are arranged to have a snap interlocking engagement with a suitably shaped male prong member, as will be clear.

The manifold advantages and economical construction of the invention will be obvious, as will the fact that many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is desired that all such shall be construed as within the scope of the invention unless otherwise expressly limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In socket devices for plug-in elements, in combination a pair of insulating plates having aligned apertures, a female locking sheet metal contact mounted in the aligned apertures and having separate and independent axially spaced upper and lower plate engaging lateral extensions to secure the plates together and to rigidify the contact, said contact extending below the lower plate in a backing plate and a pair of arms having spaced ends to form an axial slot in the contact and a soldering tail joined to the contact opposite to said slot and in electrical conducting relation to the contact and means on the contact including the soldering tail spaced from the plates for resiliently engaging and locking an inserted electrical conducting male contact of a plug-in device,,said means comprising a plurality of peripherally spaced curved resilient fingers.

2. In socket devices for plug-in elements, in combination a pair of insulating plates having aligned apertures, a female locking sheet metal contact mounted in the aligned apertures and having separate and independent axially spaced upper and lower plate engaging lateral extensions to secure the plates together and to rigidity the contact, said contact extending below the lower plate in a backing plate and a pair of arms having spaced ends to form an axial slot in the contact and a soldering tail joined to the contact opposite to said slot and in electrical conducing relation to the contact and means on the contact including the soldering tail spaced from the plates for resiliently engaging and locking an inserted electrical conducting male contact of a plug-in device, said means comprising a plurality of peripherally spaced reentrantly curved fingers defining a transverse peripheral interrupted shoulder.

HUGH H. EBY. 

